


Measured in Mountains

by Yotsubadancesintherain5



Category: Bob's Burgers (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Study, Family Feels, Gen, One Shot, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29787216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yotsubadancesintherain5/pseuds/Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: The night that Bob was saved from drowning he can't stop his mind from drifting to that pier.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	Measured in Mountains

In that moment under the pier when Fanny pointed the gun in his direction the only thing that Bob’s mind had been able to accept was that the sea was freezing cold. Otherwise his mind had been repeating, “ _No, no, let the kids and Linda go, stop, stop, just let them go, this is my fault, God, just let them live_ – “

He could feel the length of time for his family’s lives slip through his frozen fingers.

It all seemed like a far-off nightmare when he was on the couch with his family by his side, watching TV and the wharf out of sight because the curtains were drawn. But he couldn’t mistake the leftover coldness on his skin for anything but reality.

The TV’s light was like a beacon in the darkness and Bob turned his eyes to the curtained windows. He thought of the buildings and people he saw every day, unusual normalcy that visited the restaurant every day, and how easily that could all change. He could vaguely hear his family’s commentary on the TV show in-between his musings.

He nearly lost everything under that pier.

In this unaccustomed musing he didn’t hear a request by Gene or Tina and Louise joining in, but he did hear Linda start singing about a family-sized bed blanket burrito and that was very confusing.

“What?” he asked.

“The ‘eating croutons party in mom and dad’s bed’ is gonna go on all night!” Gene shouted.

“Pay attention, Dad,” Louise said, annoyance in her voice.

“We’re sleeping in your bed tonight,” Tina helpfully supplied. “You and mom, too, you don’t have to sleep on the floor, sorry if that was confusing.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good. Dunno what the cold would do to my back…”

He trailed off, suddenly hit with the realization that if something had gone wrong under that pier, even in the smallest way, none of them would be here. His hands gripped his pant legs.

“Bobby? You okay?”

Bob’s emotional side – that only emerged when Thanksgiving dinner was peril or someone pushed all the right buttons or if his family was involved – was let out just for a moment.

Bob rubbed at his eyes and was thankful that they stopped watering. “I’m fine, Lin.”

Nothing more was asked and that moment was swallowed up by laughter at the antics on TV. The only proof that it ever existed was when Linda reached out to grab Bob’s hand. Her hand was like a splash of warmth over his cold skin.

Eventually the TV was turned off later than usual, a little past the kids’ bedtimes – and then there was the usual motion for getting ready for bed. The crouton party got some crumbs in the bed and Bob was the one that would brush them off because crumbs were a pain to sleep on, like irritating sandy grains.

When it was time to sleep there was some momentary chaos of the kids figuring out how they would sleep in the bed. Somehow Bob ended up in the middle and was receiving the most blanket heat and collective body heat.

Louise had her head right on his chest, her bunny ears poking his right cheek. Tina was lying down as straight and stiff as a board but her head pinned down Bob’s right arm and he was starting to get pins and needles.

Linda was clinging to his left side like a koala and she was snoring loudly, right up against his ear. Gene was curled up next to her and wrapped his arms around Bob’s left arm, his knees pinning Bob’s hand down.

Bob wasn’t going to get any sleep. But despite everything his family was safe. He was warm.

**Author's Note:**

> For Felix's antics in that awesome two-parter I really wish that he'd get at least a good kick in the ribs. Like sheesh, he gave more apologizes for locking Linda in a closet in a later episode than for double attempted murder. But I mostly wanted Bob to get some family affection here. So we'll say off-screen Felix got a good kick in the ribs.


End file.
